Britain is braced for the EU referendum to be held on June 23 but how many voters will be truly engaged?

If you are already sick to the back teeth of EU referendum hyperbole spare a thought for our American friends across the Pond enduring a ridiculously long campaign to elect a Republican and a Democratic party leader.

In the UK we have EU referendum 24/7 but at least for a limited time.

Switch on any news channel in the UK, at any time of day or night, and the upcoming referendum is bound to feature.

But ask most people what are the EU facts and figures and many of those same people will shake and scratch their heads in bemusement.

Sunday the big EU story was Turkey and whether it will be an EU member state in the next few years or perhaps ever.

That links back to immigration fears and scaremongering that huge numbers of Turkish citizens are simply waiting in the wings to enter the UK.

With debate bordering on race hate the jury was out Sunday on the Turkish question and so Monday news channels have moved on to the economics of the EU; economics in relation to jobs.

According to the Treasury Monday leaving the EU will plunge the UK into a yearlong recession; Britain's economic growth will drop by 3.6%.

The Treasury study was released by Chancellor George Osborne who is campaigning for the UK to remain in the EU which surely casts doubts on its reliability?

Tories supporting an exit from the EU disagree and have called the study biased.

The Tory Party is tearing itself apart as BRexit and BRemain battle-lines are drawn and drawn again.

If PM David Cameron really believes the UK is better staying in the EU why is he risking our futures on an in/out referendum and allowing divisions in his government's position?

Cameron promised an EU referendum to win back party voters. If it is so dangerous for the UK to leave the EU surely that was irresponsible self-serving politics?

Figures previously published supporting BRemain have been refuted leaving sections of the electorate confused.

Many of those figures are in reality vague and cite what may happen way into the future. As most politicians struggle to accurately predict the economy next year how can they know what will happen in 14 years’ time?

Throw into the pot political changes that will happen at home and abroad during such a period of time and it is easy to see post EU referendum predictions are debatable and some would say a work of fiction.

In the end gut instinct may play a part in how you vote.

But the big worry is the hype will deter many people from taking part.

You still have time to register to vote; doing that is essential. Register by June 7 to be in it to win it. If ultimately you decide not to vote that is up to you but make sure you are not excluded.

And as you listen to both the in and out of EU camps scaremongering consider how much cash the EU referendum will cost you in real terms.

October 26 the Guardian reported "Portugal appeared headed for months of political uncertainty – even crisis – on Monday after the main opposition Socialists and their allies pledged to bring down the country’s new minority government as early as next week."

Less than two weeks later left-wing political parties appear set to form a coalition government.

Elections in October proved inconclusive; as so often seems the way these days in parts of Europe no political party received a clear mandate from the electorate to form a majority government.

But Saturday the centre-right coalition of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho looks set to fail as left wing political parties join forces.

With echoes of Greek elections which led to the Syriza party winning on an anti-austerity mandate a left wing coalition in Portugal will be another headache for E.U. bosses in Brussels.

BBC News reports Saturday "Socialist Party leader Antonio Costa fought the election promising to ease back on austerity. He has the support of two smaller far-left parties, including the Communists.

Mr Passos Coelho's centre-right party polled just under 37% in October's election, with the Socialists on over 32%."

Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho has already been sworn in for a second term but that now looks to have been a little premature. "Earlier this week he said his coalition appeared to have lost its absolute majority in parliament. With 99 seats in the 230-seat parliament, the ruling coalition fell 17 seats short of the number it needed."

Coelho has been prepared to talk to other party leaders and consider a deal to stay in government; however he is not needed by the socialists. "The Socialists, the Communists and the Left Bloc between them have 122 seats, enough for a parliamentary majority. Left Bloc won 10% of the vote, securing 19 seats, while the Communists took 8% of the vote."

21st Century world politics seems to be dogged by too many political parties, no clear majority for any and either swings to the right or left of centre with no middle ground.

In some countries right wing austerity measures that have hit the poor and vulnerable while enabling the rich to prosper have been the straw that has broken the camel’s back.

The people have spoken and though in Portugal it may not be as one with one voice the country looks set for left wing politics.

As UK PM David Cameron continues preparations for a national referendum on whether the country should stay a member of the European Union or try to go it alone we should never forget that in such cases there is always a political fall out to consider.

The UK is a rich country but is currently governed by an austerity mad Tory party intent on limiting benefits and entitlements and making the poorest and most vulnerable people of the UK pay for the economic global crisis of 2008.

The government is working to fulfil its election manifesto, payback the party faithful and to its own agenda. Currently that means military action in parts of the Middle East.

The unmanned drone used to take out two British citizens, possibly on a MI6 'hit list', was costly as well as arguably illegal; parliament had not approved the action in Syria.

The USA may work from a 'hit-list' but Mr Cameron the UK is not the USA.

And British people can be and often are philanthropic and generous but we are not a one-size fits all.

Fear of an influx of refugees flooding the country is evident. The fact that most people seeking refuge are Muslims and non-white is stoking concerns. Criminal elements wanting the 'slate' wiped clean could be part of the migrant mix and even Ebola victims.

Those fears may have a little truth or be entirely fictitious but UK PM David Cameron and other European leaders must not be naive.

The so-called EU refugee crisis is a global crisis; it is being spurred on by countries outside of the EU such as the USA and Saudi Arabia and as such needs a global resolution.

Germany's Angela Merkel and her side-kick Francois Hollande of France are working to provide refuge for thousands of refugees that have taken perilous journeys to leave their home country. Will that encourage more to follow suit? Will it encourage the people smugglers who are making big money out of people-pain?

Will the UK, Ireland and Denmark take part-the UK is already taking from camps

Cameron has said the UK will take Syrian refugees from camps bordering Syria. That should at least temporarily ease the crisis in countries housing the camps.

Labour has said Cameron is not doing enough in promising that the UK will take 20,000 Syrian refugees in Britain by 2020, saying 4,000 a year is "not enough".

In the final analysis though talking the talk is one thing.

As the Guardian reports Wednesday "there has been controversy after some French town-halls said they would take only Christian refugees. This week, the mayor of Roanne, who belongs to Nicolas Sarkozy’s right-wing party Les Républicains, said he would only accept Christian Syrians so he could “be absolutely certain that they aren’t terrorists in disguise.” Then the mayor of Belfort, from the same party, responded to the government’s appeal for towns to house refugees saying his town would take only Christian Iraqi or Christian Syrian families “because they are the most persecuted".”

Earlier this week German Chancellor Angela Merkel spouted hot-air saying her country could take 800,000 refugees but that figure has been wavering since.

Peace in Europe is a fragile commodity and the far-right is rising again.

Will tens of thousands of refugees help the long-term peace of Europe?

Who could fail to be moved by images of dead Aylan Kurdi, 3, who drowned as his family tried to get to northern Europe? How many unseen bodies have there been?

We all need action but not of the knee-jerk kind. Juncker's proposals Wednesday:What is the relocation scheme breakdown per Member State?

Check put Juncker's proposals for 120,000 refugees but bear in mind that figure is a drop in the ocean;

An emergency relocation proposal for 120,000 persons in clear need of protection from Greece, Hungary and Italy;

What will happen to the emergency relocation proposal of 40,000 proposed in May?The proposal for the benefit of Italy and Greece, endorsed by the Justice and Home Affairs Council in July, remains on the table. The 120,000 figure proposed today comes on top of the 40,000 asylum seekers which Member States already agreed in principle to relocate over the next two years.

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